Psychology key terms

An expression of approval for someone's effort, behaviour or achievement.

Feedback that recognises the work put into learning rather than labelling the learner as naturally intelligent.

The part of the mind containing information outside current awareness that can readily be brought into consciousness.

The front part of the cerebral cortex, involved in functions such as planning, decision-making and controlling behaviour.

The period of development before birth.

The proportion of a population who have a condition at a particular time or during a specified period, including existing cases.

The tendency to recall items at the beginning of a list better than items in the middle.

Freud’s term for a child witnessing their parents having sexual intercourse; he inferred such an event in the Wolfman’s childhood.

First-hand information collected directly from participants by researchers specifically for their investigation.

A person's right to control access to their personal space, behaviour and information.

Long-term memory for how to perform learned skills, often without consciously recalling each step.

The amount of output produced by workers in a given period.

A relaxation technique involving gently tensing and then releasing successive muscle groups to reduce physical tension.

Behaviour intended to help or benefit other people.

Behaviour intended to help or benefit other people.

The researcher's responsibility to minimise the risk of physical and psychological harm to participants.

The physical closeness of people or things to one another.

A therapeutic method developed by Freud that seeks to uncover unconscious conflicts through techniques such as dream analysis and free association.

Damage to a person's mental wellbeing, such as severe anxiety, distress or reduced self-esteem, caused by taking part in research.

Unusually restless movement or activity, which may occur during depression.

Unusually slowed movement and activity, which may occur during depression.

A disturbance in a person’s experience of reality, which can involve hallucinations or delusions.

A psychological treatment in which a person works with a therapist to understand and manage thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

Eysenck’s personality dimension involving aggression, egocentrism and lack of empathy.

A consequence intended to reduce the likelihood of the behaviour it follows.

An in-depth investigation of a particular person, group, event or setting using descriptive accounts to understand experiences and meanings.

Information expressed in non-numerical form, such as words or images, which describes experiences, meanings or qualities.